500-pound murderer nabbed after hostage-taking, police shootout

Julianna Cummins and Mariam Ibrahim, Postmedia News03.20.2011

William Bicknell, who was serving a life sentence for the 2001 murder of Angela Steer of Maple Ridge, B.C., escaped while on a temporary escorted pass from Drumheller Institution in Alberta Thursday, March 10, 2011. He was captuerd Saturday in northern Alberta after an armed standoff.

EDMONTON — Escaped murderer William Bicknell allegedly held an elderly woman hostage for more than eight hours, fled from police by car and traded gunfire before eventually surrendering in northern Alberta on Saturday.

The events were the dramatic culmination of a nine-day manhunt for the six-foot-six, 500-pound fugitive, who got away after overpowering a guard on their way back to prison after a family visit to Edmonton.

Before the final pursuit, police allege Bicknell, 42, held the woman hostage at her home just north of Sexsmith, Alta. Police said he entered the house at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, and kept the woman there until about 4 p.m. before she escaped and called police.

When the RCMP arrived at the house, Bicknell fled in a Chevy Impala. Police say they chased Bicknell for about 24 kilometres, during which Bicknell shot at officers, taking down a police vehicle.

Bicknell’s car then hit the ditch. He continued to exchange shots with police before finally surrendering at 8:15 p.m.

No fatalities were reported, but a five-year RCMP officer from the Grande Prairie, Alta., detachment suffered minor injuries and was taken to hospital and later released.

Bicknell was taken to an Edmonton-area hospital where he was still being treated Sunday.

Cpl. Carol McKinley, a spokeswoman for the Grande Prairie RCMP, could not confirm the extent of his injuries. Additional charges against Bicknell related to the standoff are pending.

The circumstances of the standoff are being investigated by the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team, said McKinley. ASIRT investigates incidents or complaints involving police that result in serious injury or death.

Bicknell had been on the run since March 10 when he escaped while on a temporary day pass from Drumheller Institution. Police say he visited his sister, Sandra Myshak, while in Edmonton.

After taking down the guard, Bicknell returned to the city, where he received guns and ammunition, police said. His sister faces a number of charges related to her brother’s escape and remains in police custody.

Bicknell was imprisoned for the second-degree murder of Angela Steer in 2001. Bicknell killed the woman with a baseball bat in Maple Ridge, B.C.

Steer’s father, Alan Hood, said Sunday he was “absolutely elated” when he found out about Bicknell’s arrest.

“I am only very, very pleased that he got apprehended before anyone else got seriously hurt,” said Hood in a phone interview from his home in British Columbia.

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